becker



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. H. S. BECKER. STOP-MOTION FORKNlTT'lNGiMAcHINflS.

Patented -1\T:ov 21, '18 93.-

3 SheetsSh'eet 2.

(No Model.)

H. S. BECKER. STOP-MOTION FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

Patented Nov. 21,1893.

l iam l A ron v5 Y.

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY SMITH BECKER, F OHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA, ssIGNoR 0F TWO-THIRDSTO JAMEs A. ARMSTRONG AND IDA A. SAL'ISMAN, OF

SAME PLACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 509, 283,dated'November 21, I893.

' Application filed August 13, 1892. Serial No. 443,009. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY SMITH BECKER, of Oharlottesville, in thecounty of Albemarle and State of Virginia, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Stop-Motions for Knitting-Machines; and I doherebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of referencemarked thereon,which form part of this specification.

This invention relates to stop motions for knitting machines. Heretoforein operating certain constructions of knitting machines, one operatorcould not manage more than one machine, and even then with one operatorfor each machine a thread would frequently break and a whole quarter ofcloth would runoff from the needles before it would be discovered by theoperator and the machine stopped.

' The result was great loss of time, waste of material and breakage ofneedles. Much delay and waste of material and time were also caused bycertain other disadvantages.

It is the object of my invention to overcome these disadvantages in theoperation of circular knitting machines by providing an improved stopmotion andquarter saver very simple, in construction and yet accurateand efiective in operation and strong, durable, and convenient in build,whereby a thread breaking or dropped stitch in the fabric or a break inthe-fabric caused by a broken needle will immediately actuate improvedmechanism toalmost instantaneously stop the knitting machine, andthereby prevent further knitting of fabric after the break in thefabric.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and incombinations of parts more fully described'hereinafter and particularlypointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanyingdrawings: Figure 1 is aside elevationshowing the present invention applied to a circular knitting machine.Fig. 2 is atop plan view of the stop motion. Fig. 3 is a detail top planenlarged of a portion of the stop motion. Fig. 4 is a detail sectionalview taken in the plane of the line 00- -00 Fig. 3. Figs. 5 and Garedetail views taken in the plane of the line z-z Fig.2 showing differentpositions of the parts. Fig.7, is a detail plan view of one of the pawlsthat engage the ratchet wheel, dotted lines'showing the differentpositions of the pawl. Fig. 8,isa detailsectional view of oneof theswinging blocks carrying the contact or indicating fingers. Fig. 9, is adetail sectional view showing one of said fingers enlarged.

In the drawings the reference letter a,in-

dicates a circular knitting machine of any suitable or desirableconstruction. The cloth is formed by the needles of the machine incircular or tubular form and depends within the frame and needlesforming an endless web. The frame carrying the needles, &c., is rotatedby suitable drivingm'echanism from the drive shaft 19, mounted in thesupporting frame a, of the machine. This drive shaft through the mediumof bevel gearing d, drives the short vertical shafte, which rotates theneedle frame or cylinder by the gearingf. A drive pulley g, is locatedon the drive shaft 5. This pulley g, is loose on the shaft 12, and asuitable clutch member h, is splined on said shaft so as to be capableof movement into or out of engagement with said pulley tolock the sameto or disengage the same from said drive shaft as clearly shown in Fig.1, wherein the clutch member h, is shown in engagement with the notchesor projections of the pulley g, thereby locking said pulley to the shaftb. However I wish it understood that I do not limit myself to anyparticular arrangement for detachably connecting the vdrive shaft 1),with the driving power.

A suitable bracket or stand 2', is rigidly secured to the mainsupporting frame 0, of the. machine. This bracket has an arm j,extending horizontally over the center of the needle cylinder and alsohas a rearward extension'k. The front end of the armj, is provided witha vertical bearing or' journal box in which a short vertical shaft Z, isjournaled. I A' horizontal pulley m, is rigidly secured on the upperend-of this shaft above said bearing. A

belt n, passes around said pulley m, and ro ICO the upper rear end ofthe extension 70, and then downwardly around the pulley p, on the driveshaft 1).

A spider frame or otherwise suitably shaped support q, is rigidlysecured on the lower end of the shaft Z, so as to be located within theneedle cylinder This support q, is provided with a suitable number ofradial slots 1', (preferably three slots are employed.) An arm 8, is adjustably secured at its inner end in each slot by a bolt or other means.These arms extend radially from the shaft Z, and are adj ustablelongitudinally by means of said slots and bolts so that their outer endstravel near the inner surface of the cloth a short distance below theneedles. The belt 01, is crossed or otherwise connected so that theshaft Z, and the arms 8, are rotated in an opposite direction to that ofthe needle cylinder and at a higher rate of speed, usually about twelvetimes as fast as the cylinder although the rate of speed, &c., isoptional. Each arm 8, is provided with a block it, at its inner endsuitably pivoted to the'outer end of the arm so as to form an outwardextension thereof and so as to rock in a horizontal plane. Each block isprovided with feelers or fingers at, extending outwardly from its outerend. The end of each block a, is recessed for each feeler and a springI), for each feeler is inserted therein around the inner end of thefeeler or finger which is provided with stops so that the springconstantly tends to push the finger out its full length. Each block isusually provided with two of these fingers or feelers. At its inner endeach block is provided with a rigid lateral arm 0' connected by a linkoZ' with a short link e pivoted on a pawl f, fulcrnmed on the radialarm. A coiled spring 2, suitably secured is at one end fastened to saidshort link and constantly tends to force said link against a stop g andto hold the pawl out of engagement with a ratchet wheel 71/, and to holdthe block a projecting outwardly as shown in Fig. 2.- The ratchet wheelis loose onthe shaft Z, and is provided with a radially projecting latcht" rigidtherewith and having one side of its end beveled inwardly to aninwardly facing shoulder j. A retractive spring is secured to thesupporting arm and to said ratchet Wheel in such a manner as toconstantly tend to rotate said wheel so as to hold said latch againstthe outer end of a lever Z fulcrumed at Z at one end to the arm j. A rod12 extends longitudinally of the arm j and is confined thereon so as topermit reciprocation by a slot and bolt as shown. The inner end of thisrod to is provided with a pin 'm extending down through a longitudinalslot in the arm j into a slot in the lever Z', hence the rod 'n' isreciprocated by swinging the lever Z. A vertically movable latch 0'forms a continuation of said reciprocating rod n and is pivoted theretoat 10, so that its free end can swing upwardly from the upper face ofsaid reciprocating rod. The outer end of this latch is provided with anupwardly and outwardly curved cam edge or surface (1' resting on a smalllever 0" extending trans- Versely of the reciprocating rod and fulcrumedon bar q between its ends at s, so that one end of the lever 0" forms ahandle I so that the opposite end of the lever can be swung therebybetween the two stops 3 4. The lever normally rests against the stop 3in which position the latch rests on the upper face of the bar j. Thelatch is provided with a shoulder 5 in its under face facing toward thepivoted end of the latch. A vertical lever 6, is fulcrumed at 7 betweenits ends to the portion Z0, of the supporting bracket and its upper endextends up through a longitudinal slot in the bracket is so as to engageand be held by the shoulder of said latch. The lower end of said lever6, is connected to the clutch member h, by means of link 8 and an arm8'. The clutch member It, has a peripheral groove, and the arm 8 has acollar on its end in said groove to permit the member to rotate in thecollar but so as to control the longitudinal movement of said clutchmember on the drive shaft. However I do not limit myself to any suchspecific arrangement. A spring 9, is connected to the clutch member andhasa constant tendency to throw the same from the driving pulley andthereby disengage the drive shaft and its driving means. This springhence has a constant tendency to throw the upper end of the lever 6toward the outer end of the slot in the bracket 70. The shoulder 5 insaid latch o, is located near the inner end of said slot and at such aposition that when the end of the lever is caught and held thereby theclutch member will be forced into engagement with the driving pulley andwill thereby lock the same to the drive shaft. If the said latch beraised either by swinging forward the leverr' against the cam edge q, orby moving said latch outwardly by the rod n so as to engage and beraised by said lever r, the lever 6 will be freed from the shoulder5thereby permitting the spring 9 to act andthrow the parts out of gearand disconnect the machine from its driving power. Thisfunction isaccomplished automaticallybytheinstrumentalities hereinbefore described.

A spring 10, is attached to the lever Z, so as to yieldingly hold theouter free end of said lever in the path of latch 'Z to be engaged andheld by the shoulder j thereof, and also to return the rod n and latch oto their normal positions after the lever 6, has been released and to bein readiness to receive and hold said lever when pushed forward.

A ring 11, is secured to the inner side of the needle cylinder 3'ustbelow the needles to hold the cloth out away from the cylinderandneedles as it passes down. The arms s rotated as before describedcarry the feelers rapidly around over all parts of the inner surface ofthecloth. The feelers 0t,are held yieldingly pressed in by the cloth sothat'their springs are compressed. If there is a tear caused by a threadbreaking, a hole or a dropped stitch in the cloth or a broken needlecausing. a.

run down, a feeler will immediately catch in the same byreason of itsspring tension, and the continued rotation of the arm carrying the samewill cause the particular block u to swing back on its pivot, therebymoving the link d and. short link e in a direction to throw a pawl f,.into engagement with the ratchet wheel-against the tension of the pawlspring 2. The continued rotation of the arm 3 causes the pawl f, toengage'a tooth of the ratchet wheel and rotate said wheel against thetension of its spring 7;. A very slight movement of the ratchet wheelmoves the latch '6' sufficiently to release the lever Z, thereby freeingthe rod n and latch and permitting'the spring 9 to throw the clutch outof gear.

The knitting machine is thus quickly thrown outof gear with its drivingpower and the fingers 8 almost instantly stop rotating also as they aredriven from the shaft 1). The spring 10 immediately'returns the latch 0'and lever Z to their normal positions in readl ess to receive the lever6 and the latch 11, automatically. The spring k swings the ratchet wheelaround to its normal position and in so doing automatically When it isdesired'to start the machine again the operator has merely to push backthe upper end of the lever 6 and it will throw the machine into gearwith its driving power and will raise the latch 0, until it drops downwith its shoulder 5, behind the end of lever 6, thereby locking saidlever. By this peculiar mechanism the machineis almost instantly stoppedwhen the feeler strikes the defect in the cloth; hence there is aminimum waste of time and material in overcoming the defect and startingthe machine again to work. The machine can also be quickly stopped byhand by merely swinging the lever 7". As circular knitting 1nachines arenow usually operated particularly when running in rooms artificiallylighted, the operators do not always discover a broken needle, droppedstitch, 850., until considerablefabric has been knit er damage done tothemachine. Where a hole from any reason appears in the cloth timecannot be taken to unravel the yarn 'to the hole but when the cloth iscut up to form into garments the portion having the hole is cutout andwasted. v The ring 11, holds the cloth away from the needle cylinder andthe feelers bear against and travelover the fabric usually between theneedles and this ring. Two feelers are preferably carried by each blockone above the other. The upper feeler of each pair or the one nearestthe needles is preferably shouldered atthe outer end so as to form theforwardly projecting shoulder a see Fig. 9, to catch in the hole in thefabric when a thread breaks thereby stopping the machine and preventingthe cloth running offthe needles. This feeler is more particnlarlythequarter saver. The lowerfeeler is more particularly for invention.

dropped stitches, &c.,as very often a dropped stitch will not open untilit has passed below the upper feeler. Sometimes thereareweak or fineplaces in the yarn or thread that will hold together until the weakpoint has passed below the upper feeler. I i

It is evident thatvarious changes might be made in the forms,constructions, and arrangements of the parts described without departingfrom the spirit and scope of 'my' Hence I do not limit myself to thepeculiar constructions herein set forth, but consider myself entitled toall such variations as fall withinthe spirit and scope of my invention.1

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the: United States, is 1. A stopmotion comprising a constantly rotatable carrier independent of andarranged concentric with the cylinder and provided with spring actuatedfeelers arranged to travel along the inner surface of the fabric in thecylinder, and mechanism substantially as described for constantlyrotating said carrier substantially as described. I

2. A knitting machine stop motion having a rotatable carrier suspendedwithin and independent of the cylinder, mechanism for constantlyrotating said carrier, and a laterally movable feeler carried by saidcarrier and yieldingly held against the inner surface of 4. A knittingmachine stop motion having a constantly rotating carrier in the cylinderprovided with pivoted yieldingly held blocks having spring actuatedfeelers traveling along the inner surface of the fabric in the cylinder,as and for the purposes substantially as set forth. I

a 5. A knitting machine stop motion 'provided with a rotary carriermoving in an opposite direction to the direction of" rotation oftheneedle cylinder and provided with a feeler traveling along thesurface'of the cloth, as and for the purposes set'forth.

6. The knitting machine provided with the ring inside of the needlecylinder over which the fabric travels and by which it is held in fromthe cylinder, in combination with the traveling feelers moving over thesurface of the fabric near said ring, substantially as described. v

7. In combination, thedriving mechanism, a clutch in the drivingmechanism, a support extending above the needle cylinder, a verticalshaft mounted in said support and extending down into the cylinder, arotary frame carried by said shaft carrying feelers traveling on theinner surface of the fabric, means for rotating said shaft, mechanismcontrolling said clutch, a latch for holding said mechanism, andmechanism, substantially as described, controlled by said feelers todisengage said latch.

8. In combination, in a knitting machine, a support, a vertical shaftcarried thereby concentric with the needle cylinder, a carrier movingwith the shaft, movable feelers carried by said carrier within thecylinder yieldingly bearing against the inner surface of the fabric, awheel loose on the shaft, pawls arranged to engage and lock said Wheelto the shaft, connections between said feelers and said pawlscontrolling the same, and mechanism, substantially as described, forconstantly rotating the carrier, substantially as described.

9. A knitting machine cylinder and its driving gear, and mechanism forthrowing the driving gear into and out of gear, in combination withmechanism substantially as de;

scribed to hold the driving gear in gear, a support, a shaft carriedthereby and extending into the needle cylinder, a ratchet Wheel on saidshaft controlling said mechanism, the rotary frame rigid with saidshaft, the pivoted blocks on said frame having the f elers,

pawls normally held out of engagement with said ratchet wheel, andconnections between said blocks and said pawls to throw the pawls intoengagement with the ratchet Wheel, as and for the purpose described.

10. A knitting machine stop motion having the rotary frame provided withthe pivoted blocks, and two spring actuated feelers carried by eachblock, substantially as described.

11. In combination, the clutch, a spring tending to throw it out ofgear, a vertical swinging lever controlling said clutch, a reciprocatingrod having a latch to hold said lever, a swinging lever holding saidrod, a support, a shaft depending in the needle cylinder and providedwith rotating means, a ratchet wheel on said shaft having a latch tohold said last mentioned lever, and a rotating frame carried by saidshaft provided with swinging feelers, and pawls controlled by saidfeelers to actuate said ratchet wheel.

12. A knitting machine stop motion having means to hold the fabric awayfrom the needle cylinder, and a traveling feeler moving over the surfaceof the fabricjust below the needles and where held away from thecylinder, substantially as described.

13. The knitting machine stop motion hav ing its feelers arranged inpairs, one feeler above the other, and a traveling support for eachpair, substantially as described.

14. In a knitting machine stop motion, the combination of a support, avertical shaft carried by said support, and provided with a carrier,movable feelers carried by said carrier yieldingly held against thefabric, a ratchet wheel loose on said shaft, pawls connected with andcontrolled by said'feelers and normally held out of engagement with saidwheel, and mechanism, substantially as described, controlling themechanism throwing the machine in and out of gear, said ratchet wheelprovided with a latch normally holding said mechanism in gear, theratchet wheel and latch being yieldingly held in their normal positions,substantially as described.

15. A knitting machine stop motion having traveling feelers arranged inpairs, the upper feeler of each pair being shouldered at the outer endfor the purpose set forth.

16. A knitting machine stop motion having a rotary carrier, and ayieldingly held laterally movable support on said carrier provided witha spring actuated feeler arranged to swing said support laterally when afeeler catches in a hole, 850., in the fabric.

17. In a knitting machine stop motion, the combination with a support,of the vertical lever controlling the mechanism that throws the machinein and out of gear, a spring yieldingly holding said lever in onedirection,

'the movable rod having a vertically swinging latch provided with ashoulder to hold said lever against the tension of said spring, theouter end of said latch being beveled, the hand lever arranged to engagesaid beveled end of the latch and raise the same to release said springactuated lever, and mechanism substantially as described for normallyholding said movable rod stationary, as set forth.

18. In combination, a support, a knitting machine cylinder,a springactuated mechanism for throwing the machine in and out of gear, amovable rod controlling the same, said support provided with a rotaryshaft in the cylinder provided with feelers and devices operated by saidfeelers, a wheel loose on said shaft and actuated from saidfeelers,substantially as described, said wheel provided with a latch, alever arranged to hold said movable ICO path of said lever and holdingthe same so: 15

that when the wheel is turned the latch will release the lever andmovable rod, substantially as described.

v 19. In combination, a knitting machine cylinder, a horizontallyarranged support extending over the cylinder, spring actuated mechanismtothrow the cylinder in and out of gear with its driving mechanism, alever controlling the same and extending above said support, a movablerod on said support provided with a vertically swinging latch to engageand hold said lever, means, substantially as described, to release saidlatch from the lever when the rod moves in one direction, a lockin g andreleasing mechanism for said rod, and feelers controlling saidmechanism, substautially as described.

20. In combination, a knitting machine cylinder and its support, a driveshaft for said cylinder, mechanism to throw said shaft into and out ofgear with its driving mechanism, a bracket extending up from saidsupport and over the needle cylinder of said machine, a vertical shaftcarried by said bracket in said cylinder and provided with meanscarrying feelers, said bracket provided with guide pulleys, a beltpassing over said pulleys and driving said vertical shaft from saiddrive shaft, andintermediate holding and releasing mechanism betweensaid feelers and said mechanism connecting the drive shaft with itspower, substantially as described.

21. A knitting machine stop motion having the rotary shaft supported inthe needle cylinder and provided with a carrier, a pivoted block mountedon said carrier and provided witnesses.

HENRY SMITH BECKER.

Witnesses:

HERBT. WINGFIELD, RoBT. S. J. STERLING.

